Russian exports of crude oil in the eight months to August reached 96.1 million tons, a gain of five percent over the same period in 1999, ITAR-TASS reported on Monday, citing the state statistics committee.

Crude oil represented 24.9 percent of all Russian exports compared with 17.9 percent a year earlier, for a total value of 16.2 billion dollars (19.2 billion euros), 110 percent more than the previous year, the agency said.